Catherine's Awakening by Joanna Wylde

suppose you want something more to make you leave us alone?” he asked.
    “Well, I’ll give it to you!”
    He pulled a heavy bag from his pocket, one she hadn’t noticed before, and opened
    it. Then he reached in and drew out a handful of coins, throwing them to the crowd
    below. He kept it up for several minutes, laughing and calling down to the people
    below, and Catherine wondered just how much he had in there. The rowdy group
    hollered and stomped their approval, scrambling in the rain of cash. Catherine moved
    cautiously toward the French doors, awed by the way Wade so easily managed their
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    pursuers. Then a man called out her name, and she realized she’d made a fatal error.
    She’d stepped close enough that they could see her, and now they wanted more.
    “Catherine! Cat!” voices called to her, and Wade turned to her with a look of rueful
    pride.
    “You’d better come out here,” he said. “They won’t leave until they see you, and if
    we don’t settle them down they might decide to break in. Then you really will get your
    wheelbarrow ride, and I’ll get worse. You remember Chester Miller? He didn’t make it
    back from his chivaree for two days.”
    She took his hand and stepped out on the balcony, leaning over and waving
    hesitantly at the people gathered below. They shouted their approval, and at Wade’s
    urging she flung a handful of coins to them. Then Wade pulled her back, turning her to
    face him.
    “I think they’ll be happy if we give them a kiss,” he said. “You all right with that?”
    She nodded her head, giddy. He reached around her, pulling her body into his as
    he took her mouth. The kiss was hard and fast, but it went long enough for him to drop
    one hand down to her ass and give it a squeeze. The men below went crazy, cheering
    and hooting in drunken delight. The women weren’t much better, clapping and calling
    out for Wade to show them more. Then Wade ended the embrace, pushing her back
    into the room before he turned to the crowd once more.
    “Now my father has a barrel of whiskey waiting for the men back at the barn,” he
    called out. “But if you don’t get there soon, it may all be gone. And as for the rest of
    you, I’m sure there’s more dancing to be done. Have a good time tonight and don’t
    forget to toast my new bride!”
    The group gave another cheer, and there was a general commotion as the mob
    turned to head back to the party. Wade reentered the room, and Catherine stepped into
    his arms, realizing with a start that they hadn’t been alone since their discovery that
    morning under the wagon.

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    “That was smart, throwing the money and giving your father the whiskey,” she
    whispered. “When did you have time to make all those arrangements?”
    Wade laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest.
    “I’ve seen how these things go,” he said. “I wanted to spend my wedding night
    with my bride, not being chased around by a mob of drunken cowboys. While you were
    getting prettied up, Dad and I rode all over the county, searching for cash and booze.
    He was more than willing to help—he wants grandchildren.”
    “Let’s not worry about that just yet,” Catherine said, blushing. “I need to get used
    to the idea of being married, first. I really was going to take that teaching job, Wade. I
    had it all planned out.”
    “Well, for a woman hell-bent on becoming a respectable teacher, you sure crawled
    into my bed fast enough last night.”
    She didn’t respond, pulling free of him and walking over toward a small vanity
    table. She reached up, pulling her hair free of pins. Wade came up behind her, combing
    her long, soft hair with his fingers as she started unbuttoning her gown.
    “I suppose I could blame the cider,” she said finally. She finished the buttons, and
    pulled the dress over her head and shoulders, Wade helping. Her petticoats followed,
    and when she finally turned to face him she wore only